PilaTes | Physical Therapy and Pilates in Oakland

Synergy for Health and Wellness

  • About
    • Why Choose Cash-Pay Physical Therapy?
    • Photos
  • Services
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Book Now

One Leg Circle: an amazing Pilates exercise!

02.06.2020 by Magda Boulay // Leave a Comment

There are so many amazing Pilates exercises! Pilates is a wonderful method to help address imbalance and improve posture within one’s body with time and dedication. One Leg Circle is an exercise that I particularly like, so I would like to highlight it today. I wish I could explain ALL Pilates exercises, and what they are good for, but I will settle on explaining this particular one for now!

https://www.ptpracticepilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_2249.m4v

 

Why do I Like One Leg Circle?

  • It is a Pilates mat exercise, so you do not need any special equipment to perform it.
  • There are many ways to modify this exercise to make it easier or more difficult, and it can be adapted to the needs of many people’s bodies.
  • It is an excellent exercise to target the main core abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominis, which is important to improve upright posture and it helps protect the lower back and pelvis.
  • It also challenges the abdominal obliques, which assists the  transverse abdominis in postural support.
  • It strengthens many muscles within the legs
  • It is a great exercise to promote body awareness and neurological/muscular control within the body

Now I would like to elaborate more on the points above.

You do not need any special equipment

Today’s life can be busy and hectic! We all know that it is HARD to squeeze in time for special exercises, especially when you must go to a gym, use special equipment, use specific props, or need to go to a specific place!

I encourage EVERYONE to take time for self-care and exercise, preferably everyday, but I know that some people do NOT carve this time out.  And if a person is attempting to start an exercise regimen, sometimes the need to go to a special location or use specific equipment can be barriers to getting this task done!

One Leg Circle is a Pilates exercise that does not normally need any special equipment or place.  To do it, one only needs their own body and a space large enough on the floor to lay down. One should lay on a mat surface. I do not advise this, but honestly, I often just lay down on my carpeted floor to do a few exercises.

You can modify and adapt One Leg Circle

The full version of this exercise is done with a straight leg. However, If one has muscular tightness in the muscles of the back of the leg, it may be difficult to keep the straight leg.

Luckily, the exercise is easily modified by bending one’s knee. This allows some slack in the tight muscles of the back of the leg, and will make the exercise more comfortable. The knee can be bent as much as the person needs to complete the exercise! Furthermore, the movement of the legs in this exercise can allow for “active stretching” of the legs. When performed appropriately over time, one may see progress in his/her ability to progress to a more straightened position of the legs.

Modified One Leg Circle- Bent Gesture & Supporting Legs
Modified One Leg Circle- Bent Gesture & Opposite Leg

Furthermore, if one is very inflexible in other places such as the front of the hip, the opposite leg resting on the mat can also be bent so the knee is flexed and the foot rests flat on the mat, while the other performs the “single leg circle” gesture.

One Leg Circle
Modified One Leg Circle- Opposite Knee Bent

The full exercise is great if one has really strong abdominals and does not have tightness in the back of the leg. But if a person is still building up their abdominal strength, sometimes the weight/force of a fully straight leg is too challenging to complete the exercise well. In these cases, bending the leg at the knee will also decrease the difficulty of this exercise until more abdominal strength is gained.

There is yet another modification for those who are still working on building abdominal and leg strength! When performing the One Leg Circle, the person should adjust the size of the leg “circle” in relation to their abdominals ability to stabilize their trunk, back, and pelvis. If one notices that they cannot keep these areas stable when drawing their circle with the leg, the circle should be made smaller as necessary to allow for good stability! As abdominal strength improves, the size of the circle can be increased for more challenge!

The One Leg Circle challenges the Transverse Abdominis & the Obliques

One Leg CIrcleMost people do not think about this, but our legs are a large and heavy part of our bodies! Our legs consist of big muscles that weigh a lot, and they are also a long levers that challenge our core muscles. This is especially true when the legs are lifted and moving!

When the leg is lifted up towards the ceiling when we are laying on our backs, our spine and pelvis will want to flatten and move towards the mat. When the lifted leg is lowered towards the floor, the back and pelvis will want to arch and shift up towards the ceiling.

In the One Leg Circle, and with many other Pilates exercises, we must use our core abdominal muscles, such as the Transverse Abdominis and/or our Obliques to help stabilize our body’s position to prevent this movement! Our core abdominals can become very strong over time with focus, appropriate modification as necessary, and with good technique.

The Transverse Abdominis and the Obliques are very important muscles to create stability in our trunk, lower back, and pelvis and these muscles will help support an upright postural position when trained properly. The One Leg Circle is a great exercise to strengthen and improve these areas.

Lastly, when performing the One Leg Circle, the leg creates a circle in the air, versus moving straight up and down. The weight of our legs moving to the right and left while making the circle will create an additional challenge our oblique muscles!  The obliques are very important muscles that work not only in flexion and side bending, but they are important muscles for rotational movement and to stabilize against rotational forces. When the leg moves into its circle, the obliques must resist the body’s tendency to rotate toward the weight of the moving leg!  This can be a great challenge, considering the leg is very heavy!

The One Leg Circle Strengthens the Legs:

Not only is One Leg Circle good for strengthening the core abdominal muscles, it also strengthens the legs! Because the movement of the leg moves up, back, and to both sides, many muscles in the legs are required to work! The front (quads and hip flexors), back (the hamstrings and gluteals), inner thighs (adductors), and outer abductors are all working! This is addition to all the stabilization that is required for fluid movement of the legs!

The One Leg Circle promotes body awareness and control within the body:

The One Leg Circle may appear to be a “simple” exercise, but in order to perform this exercise well, attention and focus to its details are required. This exercise is not just about moving the leg around! The movement of the legs will challenge the body in all of the various ways I described above. The point of this exercise is to improve strength and stability within the body and the core muscles. In order for this to happen, it takes concentration and brain power!

How to perform the One Leg Circle (unmodified version):

One Leg Circle Pilates
One Leg Circle
  1. Lay on your back
  2. Engage your deep transverse abdominis abdominal muscle while keeping a neutral spine and pelvis.
  3. Lift one leg up to the tabletop position and then extend the leg long.
  4. Keep the deep transverse abdominis engaged throughout this exercise.
  5. Inhale as you move the leg down and inward, and then continue to move the leg out to form the first downward arc of the circle.
  6. Exhale as you move the leg up and out, and then continuing in to the starting position of the leg, forming the second half of the circle
  7. The size of the leg circle should only be as large as you can perform while keeping your body steady, keeping and neutral spine and pelvis, and preventing any rotation of the body.
  8. Perform 5 circles in this direction, continuing this same pattern, and then reverse the circles direction to perform 5 repetitions in the opposite direction.
  9. Use any of the above described modifications that you need in order to perform this exercise well.

 

I hope you enjoy this explanation of why I think One Leg Circle is an amazing exercise! Here’s to improving stability within our bodies with Pilates!

If you have any questions, or you feel you need help or feedback for correct technique of this exercise, find a certified Pilates instructor or a licensed healthcare practitioner in your local area that does Pilates! They can help guide you and address your specific needs and concerns!

As always, be good to yourself. Stand tall and stay strong!

 

Magda Long Stretch Reformer

Would you like to learn more about about Dr. Magda Boulay, DPT, a physical therapist and Pilates instructor and her practice, P.ilaT.es-Physical Therapy & Pilates, and how she can help you?  Click on this link to sign up for a free 15-minute discovery phone call to see if P.ilaT.es is the right fit to address your needs!

PLEASE NOTE! This blog post is meant for educational and instructional purposes only. This exercise is a wellness exercise only, and it is not medical advice. This post is not a substitute for professional medical consult, evaluation, & or treatment. If you have a current injury or condition, please consult in person with a licensed medical professional before attempting or starting this, or any other exercise program.

Categories // Pilates Perspective Tags // Abdominal Obliques, Abdominal Stabilization, Core strength, Demystify Pilates, exercise, fitness, Learn Pilates, Magda Boulay, Oakland, Oakland CA, One Leg Circle, Phyisical Therapy, Pilates, Pilates is for everyone, Pilates matwork, transverse abdominis, wellness

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Dr. Magda Boulay, DPT

Magda Boulay, DPT
Licensed Physical Therapist & Certified STOTT PILATES Instructor

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Stay in Touch

Sign up for my newsletter!
You will also receive a free download:

"Tips for Positioning with Pilates Exercise."

Follow me on Instagram

Did you guess it?!?.... I think everyone of this g Did you guess it?!?.... I think everyone of this generation will forever more be able to “name this tune” (photo, I mean...) !!! #worthitsweightintoiletpaper

SERIOUSLY!... This was part of a REAL GIFT!😅🤣🧻 (THANKS, mom & dad!!! 💜💜💜) #myfamilyistheBEST #giftswecanuse

(But what a thoughtful gift this is, considering our TP shelves are EMPTY here in Oakland!!!... 😳) #hopingformorestockingstuffers

SPOILER ALERT: (the answer is coming) 2020 has given all of us a “run” in MANY more ways than any one of us could ever have imagined! #willrememberbutmaybenotmissyou #bye2020

On a personal level, my small neighborhood practice had been looking up at the start of 2020. The COVID-19 shutdown of businesses, schools, etc. etc. here in the #SFbayarea (which has pretty much continued on most levels for the majority of this year) has complicated life & #dampenedthespirits over here just a bit! But we are still here!!!

And with this, I would still like to give my gratitude and thanks for everything my family and I still have, despite all of these challenges. I know everyone in our world has had MAJOR obstacles this year, but it looks like there may be a “light at the end of this tunnel”, we can do this! 💪🏼 #keeptrying

Looking forward to new resolutions, and everything a much anticipated 2021 will bring! Wishing everyone a happy holiday season. Please stay safe out there! (And let’s 🧨🦠💥) #2021herewecome!

As always, #begoodtoyourself #standtall & #staystrong! #anddopilatesTOO! ⁣💪🏼

#stayathome #flattenthecurve #pilatesismyhappyplace ⁣

#playlates #improveyourself ⁣ #dopilates
⁣
#ptpracticepilates #physicaltherapy #physicaltherapistsdopilates #physicaltherapist #cashpt #pilates #healthandswellness  #oakland #temescal #temescaloakland
Pilates 5 Day Challenge- Day 5! Rollover!🌟⁣ Pilates 5 Day Challenge- Day 5! 
Rollover!🌟⁣
⁣
This week’s Pilates challenge by @pilatesinthegrove has been a lot of fun!!! 🔥⁣
⁣
I thought I’d end this challenge with something FUN! So here it is!!! 🤸🏽‍♀️ It is bright, fun, and it feels great! It is PLAY-LATES!⁣
⁣
I LOVE the rollover because it helps strengthen my lower abdominals, and the BEST part is how it helps stretch out my tight lower back!!! 👏🏼🙆🏼‍♀️💥⁣
⁣
The Rollover is a more complicated and rather “advanced” exercise, so it is definitely not something for everyone. But with appropriate progression of strength and balance, it is possible to build up to this great exercise, if you have a healthy spine, and no other physical conditions which may interfere. For the Pilates enthusiast who is very strong, this is a wonderful exercise! ⁣
⁣
The most important aspect of Pilates exercises is to perform them with control, quality and GOOD FORM! 👏👏👏⁣
⁣
If your body needs more strength to be able to perform this very difficult exercise, there are other amazing Pilates options to help build your body’s strength over time! ⁣
⁣
As I have said, the “journey” is part of the whole process!!!💥💪🏼💥 Pilates has helped me improve the balance in my body in so many ways!!! 🤸🏽‍♀️ ⁣
⁣
Pilates works wonders for the body with focus, persistence, dedication, and of course, regular PRACTICE! ⁣
⁣
@christa gurka @pilatesinthegrove: again thank you for the inspiration, and for another AMAZING workout today! 💥🔥💥⁣
⁣
#pilatesrollover #playlates #moveyourbody #5daypilateschallenge #learnnewthings #communityiskey #improveyourself #striveforbetter⁣ #dopilates #shelterinplacepilates #pilatesmatwork ⁣
⁣
#ptpracticepilates #physicaltherapy #physicaltherapistsdopilates #physicaltherapist #cashpt #pilates #healthandswellness  #oakland #temescal #temescaloakland
Pilates 5 Day Challenge- Day 4!⁣ ⁣ Plank and L Pilates 5 Day Challenge- Day 4!⁣
⁣
Plank and Leg Pull Front!🌟⁣
⁣
Pilates in the AM: what a great way to improve my day! This week’s Pilates challenge by @pilatesinthegrove has been awesome!!! 🔥⁣
⁣
But back to the above exercises: I’m loving these full-body challenges! These exercises both really challenge your shoulder girdle, as well as being an amazing stabilization challenge for your abdominals, gluts, and even the legs! ⁣
⁣
TIP: It is important to create good stability through your shoulders, as well as your trunk in order to get the best workout, and also to protect your joints and body! Two of the most common mistakes I see (that really make me cringe) when people do these exercises is:⁣
⁣
1. “Sinking in” of the body in the shoulder girdles, otherwise known as “winging” of the scapula (shoulder blades). This is because they are not stabilizing well with specific muscles of the shoulder girdle.⁣
2. “Hanging” in too much extension in the joints of the lumbar spine (lower back) because they are not stabilizing well with the abdominals. ⁣
⁣
Don’t worry! A professional can help guide you on how to perform these exercises properly! There are countless modifications that can be made to them to help improve your form.⁣
⁣
The most important aspect of these exercises is to perform them with QUALITY and GOOD FORM, NOT TIME!!! 👏👏👏 As you get stronger, you can build up time, and there are even other ways to “amp” these exercises up for additional challenges!⁣
⁣
If your body needs more strength to be able to perform these very difficult exercises with proper form, there are also many other amazing exercises to help build your body’s strength! ⁣
⁣
The “journey” is part of the whole process!!!💥💪🏼💥 As I said before, Pilates has helped me improve the balance in my body in so many ways!!! 🤸🏽‍♀️ ⁣
⁣
Pilates works wonders for the body with focus, persistence, dedication, and of course, regular PRACTICE! ⁣
⁣
@christa gurka @pilatesinthegrove: again thank you for the inspiration, and for another AMAZING workout today! 💥🔥💥⁣
⁣
#plank #legpullfront #moveyourbody #5daypilateschallenge #learnnewthings #communityiskey #improveyourself #striveforbetter⁣ #dopilates
Pilates 5 Day Challenge- Day 3!⁣ ⁣ Modificatio Pilates 5 Day Challenge- Day 3!⁣
⁣
Modification of “Tree” with another Twist!🌀 As I mentioned before, I love twists since they are great for improving my flexibility!!! This exercise is particularly challenging for me because it requires good movement/flexibility in the spine, as well as great hamstring flexibility! But there are modifications for this exercises to help performance. Over time with appropriate practice, it will help improve these issues!🌟⁣
⁣
As you can see, in the second picture, I “lost” some of the stretch I had on my hamstring when I added the twist! To put it simply, that is because it is a challenging pose for me (for many reasons), and I was really concentrating to hold the position! When I incorporated the twisting, I lost some of the form! But with more PRACTICE, I can assure you, I CAN improve this!!! 💥💪🏼💥 Pilates has helped me improve the balance in my body in so many ways!!! 🤸🏽‍♀️ ⁣
⁣
As I said before, Pilates works wonders for the body with focus, persistence, dedication, and of course, regular PRACTICE! ⁣
⁣
@christa gurka @pilatesinthegrove: again thank you for the inspiration, and for the AMAZING workout today! 💥 It was a great abdominal burn today! As always, nice modifications and cues for those who need it! 🔥⁣
⁣
#pilatestree #moveyourbody #5daypilateschallenge #learnnewthings #communityiskey #improveyourself #striveforbetter⁣ #dopilates #shelterinplacepilates #pilatesmatwork ⁣
⁣
#ptpracticepilates #physicaltherapy #physicaltherapistsdopilates #physicaltherapist #cashpt #pilates #healthandswellness  #oakland #temescal #temescaloakland
Load More...

P.ilaT.es- Physical Therapy & Pilates is a very small private practice which focuses on the most important aspects of rehabilitation and health and wellness: hands-on manual therapy and therapeutic exercise, with a focus on Pilates exercise and methodology. Patient education is also emphasized.

  • Home
  • Book Now
  • Contact
  • FAQs
Check out PilaTes- Physical Therapy & Pilates on Yelp
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Hours of Operation:

Mondays 9:00am-4:00pm
Tuesdays 9:00am-4:00pm
Wednesdays 9:00am-4:00pm
Thursdays 9:00am-4:00pm

& upon request

© 2021 · P.ilaT.es- Physical Therapy & Pilates in Oakland, California | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Disclaimer